This invention relates to storing and retrieving return addresses.
A system architecture describes the mode of operation of a processor and mechanisms to support operating systems and executives, including system-oriented registers and data structures and system-oriented instructions. The system architecture also provides support necessary for switching between real-address and protected modes.
Execution of instructions in a pipelined processor often requires predicting the path of execution before the results of branch instructions may be known. A return stack buffer (RSB) is often used to store predicted return addresses for subroutine CALL and RETURN instructions.